Bracelet



June 23, 1936. I A. METCALF 2,045,282

BRACELET v Filed NOV. 7, 1934 INVENTORQ A TTORNEYS.

Patented June 23, 1936 UNITED STATES BRACELET Alpha H. Metcalf, Attleboro, Mass, assignor to Cheever, Tweedy & Co. Inc., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 7, 1934, Serial No. 751,835

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a bracelet, particularly the type which is stiff or rigid when clasped in closed position upon the wrist; and the invention has for one of its objects the provision of a hinge at the joint of the sections; which will leave the outer surface of the bracelet relatively smooth and render the hinge comparatively inconspicuous.

Another object of the invention is the forming of a hinge on the thin sheet metal ornamental strip of the bracelet rather than forming a separate hinge and attaching it to the sections which are to be pivotally related.

Another object of the invention .is the provision of a hinge which has an extending tab to connect together and strengthen the eyes of the hinge and also serve as a means for retaining the end of the ornamental ribbon piecefupon which the hinge is formed securely in position while the same is soldered in place.

Another object of the invention is the formation of a guard which will retard or limit the opening movement of the bracelet so that undue strains will not exist upon the hinge to distort or break the same.

Another object of the invention is the forma tion of a guard which may be inserted in a bracelet and helclin place without the use of solder.

Another objectof the invention is the forma tion of a guard and a single retaining catch which will serve to hold the bracelet in closed position and also serve to retard or limit the opening movement of the bracelet when swung about its hinge connection. 7

Another object of the invention is the formation of integral tongues raised from the stock of the guard memberat each end thereof to serve as latches and depending upon the inherent resiliency of the stock for returning them to 40 position after flexed therefrom.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the bracelet in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the bracelet in open position, showing the guard as bridging between the ends thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the guard alone.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the outer members of the bracelet, which usually carry the ornamentation and which in this case are hinged together.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the inner generally channel-shaped member of one section.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-45 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 1-1 of Figure 9.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the hinge end 5 of the outer member. I

Figures 9 and 10 are sectional views thru the hinge ends of the section, showing the sections in relatively open and closed positions.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the bracelet in 10 closed position and held there by portions mounted upon the guard.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing the bracelet open and the guard as in a position to retard or limit the opening movement of the 15 section.

In the use of bracelets of the type which are composed of a plurality of sections, usually two, hinged together and swingable about this hinge to open or closed position, it is usual to provide 20 some sort of a hinge which is separately attached" to each of these sections and which usually protrudes beyond the sections at the joint and is somewhat conspicuous; and in order that this may be simplified I have formed the hinge by, 25 rolling inwardly the outer member leaving the" outer surface substantially smooth, and I have also utilized this rolled-in portion to extend beneath a flange on the generally channel shaped section to hold this end of the outer member in;.30 position while being soldered in place. I have also provided a guard which instead of being soldered at one end of one member and. slidable in the other member is secured in fixed position in one member by reason of the construction 35 provided therein and without the use of solder; and I have utilized the catch which is necessary for holding the parts in closed position as a means for retarding or limiting the opening movement of the sections by reason of a tongue on the guard engaging this catch; and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention. illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished:

With reference to the drawing, I5 designates the inner arcuate, generally channel-shaped member which has a bottom wall It, side walls I! with inturned flanges l8 which are offset downwardly as at Hi, to form a seat or recess 20 for the reception of the outer usual ornament member 2| which is of sheet stock and of a thickness to substantially lie flush with the outer surfaces 22 of the flanges l8 formed on the side walls I! of the inner member of the section. The end of each of the outer members is folded inwardly as at 23 and cut out as at 24 to provide eyes 25 which interfit or extend into the openings 24 of the opposite section for the reception of a pintle pin 26 for hingedly relating these parts together.

The folded back portions of this outer section extend as at 21 a substantial distance beyond the cutouts 24 and is then bent to extend away from the main portion of the member 21 forming a tab which I designate 28 and which is of a width to extend beneath the flanges !8 on the outer member and of a length to engage the inner surface of the bottom wall [6, it being somewhat deflected from its normal position to place it under tension in being forced into this position and as deflected it causes the knee or fold 29 to bind against the inner surface of the flanges as the ribbon 2| is swung down into position. By fitting in beneath these flanges the outer member 2| is held snugly against these flanges in the recess l9 so that solder may be readily applied which is of a decided advantage where arcuate sections are formed and a close fit is desired between the members forming them.

The hinge which I have just described has all of its parts folded inwardly so that it lies smooth and flush on its outer surfaces altho the joint is at such a location as to allow free opening of the parts altho they snugly fit together when the sections are in closed position.

At the free ends of these sections, I have provided a guard designated 33, which is formed'of sheet stock, and cut and bent into the shape illustrated in Fig. 3. A tongue 3| is cut and raised from the stock at one end and on this tongue there is a combined latch 32 and finger piece 33 separated by a notch 34. An opening 35 in the free end of the outer member of section 31 receives the fingerpiece 33, the stockof the guard being deflected as at 35 so as to force the fingerpiece continually into the opening 35 and thus fix the guard in the end of the section 31 against displacement due to pull transmitted thru the guard.

The opposite end 39 of the guard slidably extends into the end 38 of the other arcuate section and the latch 32 will engage the notch or f opening 40 in the outer member 2! of the arcuate section 38 so as to hold the sections in closed position with their free ends abutting. The engagement may be made by merely swinging the sections 31 and 38 about their hinges so that the inclined surface of the latch 32 will cause it to be depressed until it arrives at the opening 40 when the inherent tension of the tongue 3| will cause it to again rise into this opening and lock these sections securely in position.

To open the bracelet, it is merely necessary to force inwardly the fingerpiece 33 thus releasing the latch 32 from its catch or opening 40 and permitting the sections to be swung about their hinge toward the position shown in Fig. 2.

' However, in order to limit or retard this opencated fingers 45 and 46 which extend, thru the guard and are then spread outwardly to rivet the same securely in position. Any means, however, may be utilized for securing the parts together.

This guard member will be understood to be secured in position without the use of solder, and may be removed by manipulation of the parts which hold it in working position.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hinged bracelet comprising two stiif sections, each having an inner member with flanges, and an outer semi-circular member secured to said flanges and cooperating to form an arcuate tube,'and a portion of the hinge formed of the stock of the outer member of each section for pivotally joining the sections together.

2. A hinged bracelet comprising two stiff sections each having an inner member with flanges and an outer semi-circular member secured to the outer surface of said flanges and cooperating to form an arcuate tube, and a portion of the hinge formed of the stock of the outer member of each section for pivotally joining the sections together.

3. A hinged bracelet comprising two stiff sections, each having an inner member with flanges thereon provided with lips extending toward each other, and an outer semi-circular member secured to the outer surfaces of said flanges and cooperating to form an arcuate tube, and a portion of the hinge formed of the stock of the outer member of each section for pivotally joining the sections together, and one of said hinge portions having a part thereof extending beneath said lips to hold the outer member in position.

4. A hinged bracelet comprising two stiff sections, each having an inner member with flanges thereon provided with lips extending toward each other, and an outer semi-circular member secured to the outer surface of said flanges and cooperating to form an arcuate tube, and a portion of the hinge formed, of the stock of the outer member of each section for pivotally joining the sections together, and each hinge portion having a part thereof extending beneath said lips and engaging the body wall of the other member to hold the outer'member in position.

5. A hinged bracelet comprising two stifi sections, each having an inner member with outturned flanges and lips extending toward each other and an outer semi-circular member secured to the outer surface of said flanges and cooperating to form an arcuate tube, and a portion of the hinge formed of the stock of the outer member of each section for pivotally joining the sections together, and each hinge portion having a part thereof extending beneath said lips and placed I under tension for engaging the lips and the body wall of the other member with pressure to hold the outer member in position.

6. In a bracelet, a pair of sections hinged together at one end, a guard provided with a latch, a fingerpiece on said latch, an opening in one section receiving said fingerpiece to hold the guard fixed in said section, the opposite section being provided'with an opening in the outer Wall thereof, the edges thereof engaging said latch when the sections are closed and a resilient latch on the other end of said guard to snap into said last mentioned opening and engage the edge about said opening and interrupt the opening movement of the sections and hold said section in said interrupted opened position.

7. A bracelet comprising two stiff sections, each having an inner member provided with recessed flanges thereon, an outer semi-circular member secured in said recesses and. cooperating to form an arcuate tube having an outer surface substantially flush with the outer surface of the flanges, a portion of a hinge formed of the stock of the outer member of each section for pivotally joining the sections together.

8. In a bracelet, a pair of sections hinged together and each section provided with an opening in the outer wall thereof, a guard having an end portion positioned in one of said sections and provided with a projection thereof movably extending into the opening in said section, resilient means on said guard adjacent said projection for urging said projection into engagement with the edges about said opening to cooperate to secure said guard in place, the other portion of said guard being slidabiy mounted in the other section and provided with a resilient latch thereon to extend into the opening in said last mentioned section to limit the opening of said sections.

ALPHA H. ME'I'CALF. 

